The Hollyhock is a popular and common flower found in many traditional cottage

gardens; hollyhocks are easy to grow and may even produce flowers in the first
year, if planted early enough. The Alcea species of hollyhock produces tall flowers
and should not be confused with Althaea (or Mallow); both plant species are
botanically related and belong to the Malvaceae plant family but the Althea species
of hollyhocks are shorter.

Roman and Greek Use of Hollyhocks

The ancient Greeks used the Althaea species of hollyhock as a sacrifice to Apollo
in harvest celebrations; it was the Althaea species of hollyhock which had the
greatest medicinal properties and was used as such by the ancient Greeks and
Romans.

The Healing Properties of Hollyhock – Althaea species

Althaea is thought to be derived from the Greek word which means 'to heal', and
therefore an appropriate name for the healing Althaea hollyhock species.

Medicinal Uses

 Inflammation
 Diuretic
 Mouth inflammations
 Pharyngeal inflammations
 Strep throat
 Vocal cord inflammation
 Cold
 Coughs
 Fever
 Stomach inflammation
 Intestinal inflammation
 Diarrhea

Information

Used Parts: Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds

Substances: Mucus, Tannic acid, essential oil

Other names: Garden mallow

The most important substance in the Hollyhock is the mucus. It has an emollient
effect.

This effect makes the Hollyhock to a good herbal remedy against problems of the
pulmonary system. But it can also help against skin problems an diseases of the
digestion.

Internal use

Flowers
You can make a tea out of the flowers. Best you do it as a cold infusion to save the
fragile flowers and the mucus.

But when the Hollyhock is a part of a tea-mixture you can prepare it as an infusion.

Drink the tea against cough, bronchitis or a soar throat.

You can also use it to gargle against throat or mouth inflammation.

Root
The root of the Hollyhock can be used similar to the uses of the flowers, because
it also contains mucus and tannic acid.

You can use it against diarrhea and other problems of the digestive system. It is
also good against loss of appetite.

Seeds
The seeds can be used against fever,

They have a diuretic and amollient effect.

External use

You can use the tea of the hollyhock as a compress against a lot of different skin
problems. It helps against inflammations and encourages the healing processes of
the skin. Using as a sitz bath the hollyhock can help against discharge.
Cold infusion

How to do it

1. Put the herbs in a cup (or a pot if you want to prepare more than one cup).
2. Pour cold water over the herbs.
3. Cover the cup, to prevent that essential oils dissolve.
4. Let the cold infusion wait overnight or for 8 to 12 hours.
5. Pour the infusion through a sieve.
6. Heat the tea carefully up to drinking temperature.
7. Pour the tea into a cup.
8. Drink the tea in small sips.

Infusion

How to do it

1. Heat water until it boiles.

2. Put herbs in a cup or in a pot.
3. Pour the boiling water over the herbs.
4. Cover the cup, escecially when preparing an infusion with herbs, that are conatining lots of
essential oils.
5. Wait for 5 to 15 minutes.
6. Pour the infusion through a sieve.
7. When preparing a tea against colds, you could add honey to the tea, when it should be against
stomach problems it should stay bitter without honey or sugar.
8. Drink the tea in small sips.